Supervisor discusses Jan. 4 meeting, hopes to put issues in the past

A “blind-siding” initial Cicero Town Board meeting, Supervisor Judy Boyke said was what residents witnessed Monday Jan. 4 “is not going to be a biweekly thing.”

“We will have to come to a consensus of having a workable meeting that doesn’t turn into a ‘dog and pony show,'” Boyke said.

Several phone calls were made and two letters to the editor concerning the town’s initial meeting were sent to the Star-Review in the following days after the meeting.

The recently sworn-in supervisor said she was unaware that her intentions to appoint the town’s new engineer, attorney and comptroller would upset any of the board members because she didn’t discuss the plans with everyone beforehand.

Boyke said she did an “informal” consult with her deputy supervisor, Jessica Zambrano, and Cicero Town Councilor Lynn Jennings.

Aware of Boyke’s plans for appointment at the Jan. 4 meeting, Town Councilor Jim Corl said he was informed, but not included in the supervisor’s decisions. Corl said he had a meeting with Boyke Dec. 29 to discuss the transition of the town board.

Although Corl was knowledgeable of the attorney and engineer appointments, he said he was not given the selection for the town comptroller’s position during his meeting with Boyke.

Because of the “lack of communication” Corl said he experienced, he thought it was best to bring the issue to the public’s attention during the Jan. 4 town board’s organizational meeting.

“I think as taxpayers, they should know what the process of selection is,” Corl said in regards for a Request for Proposal.

When asked why an RFP wasn’t exercised during the last five years he has been on the board, Corl said there were no changes in the personnel within the town board’s appointed positions for the last six years.

After the meeting, Corl said there were “a lot of unanswered questions at the end of the day.” He said he “didn’t have any objections” to the new position appointments, but that there was a lack of involvement” in the process. Although Corl said he was sure there would be changes within the town’s appointments with a new administration, he said he would have seen more communication.”

Boyke explained that she wanted to appoint “people she could trust, people that supported her vision and the vision being integrity.” While some transition conversation was made with Corl, Boyke said she was not informed of the need for an RFP.

During their Dec. 29 conversations, Corl said he told Boyke that if there would be major changes, an RFP would be good to see what the kind of response the bids would bring from interested firms during a six-month period after Jan. 1.

Anthony Riviggino was appointed as town attorney with a 3-2 vote, with Corl and Town Councilor Vernon Conway opposed. The town engineer, Doug Wickman, of C&S Companies, was also appointed in the same fashion. Wickman will be substituting for Ron Ditota, of C&S Companies, who will ultimately serve as the town’s engineer.

The town’s new comptroller will be Shirlie Stuart, who was appointed with a 4-1 vote, with Corl opposed.

It’s in the past

Now that the town’s first official board meeting is on the calendar for 7 p.m. Wednesday Jan. 13, Boyke said she wants to put the organizational meeting behind her.

“I want to bring new and exciting things to the town,” she said. “Like I said in my campaign, we need to bring the town back to the people.”

In separate interviews conducted Tuesday Jan. 12, both Boyke and Corl said they “look forward to working as a bipartisan team.”

“You can’t accomplish anything without having it work as a team,” Boyke said. “There will always be difference in opinion, but a reasonable conclusion should come out if it’s discussed.”

Corl said the same can be accomplished, he “just asks to be informed on big decisions.”

“As long as there is a good flow of information and we’re kept in the decision-making,” Corl said. “We can work for the town, together.”

All of the town board members were contacted for this story. The Star-Review is awaiting responses from Cicero Town Deputy Supervisor Jessica Zambrano, Town Councilor Vernon Conway and Town Councilor Lynn Jennings.